


Fallen Rulers

by Shinehollow



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 14:39:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15026840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinehollow/pseuds/Shinehollow
Summary: After the twins' deaths at the hands of the Demon King, Seth is given a choice he'd never wanted to make.





	Fallen Rulers

_It all happened so fast._

 The battle appeared to be going well. Seth was confident they'd have the Demon King sealed before nightfall, and then they'd be able to move onto more pressing matters. Ephraim's coronation, for one. He could also take the opportunity to sort out his feelings for Eirika, and talk to her about her feelings for him.

 Ephraim rode up beside him with Eirika, wiping sweat off his brow. "Gods, I never thought fighting the Demon King would be this fun." Seth shook his head, sighing. "Is that all this is to you, my lord?  _Fun?_ " Ephraim let out a huff. "I know that this is a fight to save the world, Seth," he replied, raising Siegmund. "Can't it still be fun?" Without waiting for Seth to answer, he rode off towards the beast, calling for Forde. Eirika shook her head, sighing. "He can be a handful sometimes." She turned to look over at Seth, and their eyes met. There was fear in her eyes, but determination, too. She wasn't worried if she died in this fight, as for her it would be a sacrifice necessary to protect this world. Seth was determined not to let that happen.

 She let out an awkward sigh, looking back at her brother. "I should go help him," she murmured, tightening her grip in Sieglinde. "Of course," Seth replied, and she looked at him again. "Please stay safe, Seth. I don't want to lose you." Seth chuckled softly. "You need not worry about me, my lady. It is your brother that requires most of your attention." 

 "I will still worry, Seth," she said, gesturing at his side. "You still can't fight as well as normal."

 "You're worried about this old wound?" Seth asked, raising his lance arm, trying to ignore the pain that flashed through. Eirika must have noticed it in his eyes, as her gaze grew hard. "Please don't push yourself anymore for my sake. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you die trying to protect me, when you clearly can't." Seth dropped his arm. "But it is my job, my lady." She didn't respond, just rode off after Ephraim.

 Seth watched her leave, then turned to strike at a shadow that had come up beside him, barely stopping in time when he realized it was Knoll. "Don't sneak up on a knight like that," he chided as the dark mage stumbled in a panic. "Sorry, sir," Knoll said quietly, clutching his tome in his arms. "It's just... I have a bad feeling, and I felt you were the best one to tell." Seth glanced down at him, confused. "Me? What about Princess Eirika? And what sort of feeling?" 

 "I can't say for certain, but it just feels  _wrong_ ," Knoll explained, glancing warily at the ceiling. A Deathgoyle flew over to them, screeching, and Seth quickly dove his lance through its chest. He glanced back at Knoll, who, to his surprise, never moved. "My apologies," Seth said, shaking the body off his lance. "Continue." Knoll pointed at the Demon King, his hand shaking. "This can't be Fomortiis' full power. He's got to be holding back." Seth turned to watch the monster fight, noticing that it did seem weaker then the stories.  _But why would he hold back?_ "It's nothing," he said finally, glancing down at Knoll. "He was just sealed away for eight hundred years-of course he'll be weaker." He looked around, noticing Cormag was surrounded. "I've got to go," he said, turning away. He glanced back at Knoll with a smile, but the mage still looked worried. "Don't let it bother you. We will win here today."

 He had only ridden a couple steps away from Knoll before there was a bright flash, followed by a loud crack from above. His horse started, and he struggled to calm her while trying to find the source of it. A large rock-part of the roof of the temple- fell down beside Cormag, who had started to fly towards Seth. "The roof!" he yelled as he passed. "Something hit the roof!" Another crack, and another rock fell, nearly falling onto Seth. He hissed, managing to turn his horse and start to ride towards the exit. "How?" he asked, an open ended question, and Cormag shrugged. "Magic, I think." He started to fly higher, racing towards the door. "Who cares right now? We need to get out!" 

 "Princess Eirika! Prince Ephraim!" Seth called out, and Eprhaim rode up behind him, "We'll be behind you."

 "We'll help any stragglers!" Eirika called over the noise. "You keep going Seth!" Seth stopped his horse. "No! You two leave. I'll stay!" 

 "Leave! It's an order, Seth!" Ephraim barked, riding back off, nearly avoiding a large chunk. Seth nearly rode after him, try to pull the twins out so they would stop risking their lives, but a part of the ceiling dropped, blocking his path. He shook his head, yelling, "Get out before it all comes down!" He got no answer.

 Seth swore, turning around and racing towards the exit. He stopped to let Knoll climb on, who was tripping over his robes in a panic to get out. "I was right," Knoll breathed as settled down on the saddle. "You should have listened to me!" Seth didn't bother responding, keeping focused on the door. 

 After a moment, he burst out, riding into the dark trees. He stopped when he got a fair distance away, and Knoll just fell off his saddle. Seth slid off, walking over to the mage. "Are you alright?" Knoll nodded. "That was just a little too fast for my tastes." Seth scoffed. "I could have gone slowly, but we might've not made it very far."

 Knoll said nothing. He lifted his head, watching through the thick trees. Seth turned to watch over his shoulder. He could still hear the temple collapsing, although the trees were too thick to see anything. "Prince Lyon," Knoll murmured, and Seth looked back down at him. "Why did this happen?"

 "I don't know," Seth said, looking back at the temple, straining to hear hoofs or anything that would signal the twins' escape. "I wish I did."

 The sound of wing beats spooked them both, and Seth reached for his lance. He relaxed as a pegasus landed next to his horse, and Tana leaped off. "Seth! Thank the gods I found you." Seth stood up and walked over, noting how worried she was. "What's wrong, Princess?"

 "My brother. I tried to find him, but it got too dangerous," she said. "I'm worried that his pride is getting him killed." She looked around, the worry deepening. "Where's Eirika? Did she get out?" Seth shook his head. "She stayed behind to help anyone who might not have been able to make it. Maybe she made it out with your brother," he added hopefully, but he doubted it. Prince Innes' stubbornness was well known, and if he wanted to stay behind, he would stay behind.

 "Hopefully," she said. She looked up into the sky, where two more pegasus flew above. "If he dies..." she went silent, but Seth understood. 

 "Three countries without heirs," Knoll said absentmindedly, picking himself off the ground. "Four, if Lady L'Arachel didn't make it out." Seth glared at him. "Don't make it sound like a certainty. They could've escaped another way." Knoll just shook his head.

 After a moment, a pegasus flew down low. "It's done," called Vanessa, sounding worried. "I think you better go take a look, my lady. You too, Seth." Tana and Seth glanced at each other. "Did you see them?" Seth asked hopefully, and Vanessa said nothing, flying back up to rejoin the pegasus. Seth quickly mounted his horse, and rode off. "Follow me," he called to Knoll, who just stood, watching Seth leave with eyes full of grief.

 He rode into the clearing, quickly stopping his horse and leaping off. "Princess?" he called, looking around. "Prince?" 

 "Seth?" called Ephraim weakly, and Seth quickly climbed over the rubble, trying to find him. 

 "You're alive?" Ephraim asked when Seth found him half buried under rubble. There was a large gash on his head, blood staining one side of his face. His legs were crushed under another stone. "You ordered me to leave," Seth said, trying to pull the rock away. "Of course I'd obey." 

 "Good," he said, closing his eyes, a small trail of blood from his mouth joining the larger streak. "Open your eyes," Seth said, stopping to crouch down next to him. "You'll live. You have got to live." Ephraim opened his eyes slightly, nodding down behind Seth. "I tried, Seth," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I really did try."  Seth watched as Ephraim closed his eyes again, and turned behind him.

 Eirika's bloodied arm was sticking out from a piece of rubble. Seth stared at it for a moment, before let out a strangled sob. He crawled over, pushing the rock she was pinned under away. He crouched over her, shaking his head. "No, no, no," he breathed, then he looked back over at Ephraim, who watched him with a faint smile. He tried to speak, but he only coughed, and his eyes grew blank. "Ephraim?" Seth called, and Eprhaim didn't respond. "Don't die on me."

 Still no response, and Seth let out another sob. "I'm so sorry. I failed you, Fado." He grabbed Eirika's right arm, wincing at how cold it was, and slowly pulled off the Lunar Bracelet. "Eirika?" he asked, dropping her arm, hoping that it was a fluke, that she was alive, that they would return to Renais, as a queen and her knight, but she didn't move. "Oh gods," he whimpered, lowering his head onto her broken chest plate. "I should have stayed." 

 He ignored the pull on his coat, until Knoll spoke, "General, we really should be getting out of here. The monsters are coming back." Seth lifted his head to look at Knoll, who was watching a point in the distance. Seth glanced over and noticed a mass of creatures heading towards them. Seth glanced back down at Eirika's body. "I have to bring them home," he said, his voice breaking. "I have to bring them to Renais."

 "I'm sorry, but there's no time for that, General," Cormag said, coming up beside Knoll. "Those monsters can and will kick our asses in an instant if we don't leave. Yes, even kick your ass, General," he added when he noticed the look in Seth's eyes. "I know you're good, but do you really want to face the entire army of the underworld by yourself?"

 Seth glanced up at him, back down at Eirika, then at the horde. "You're right," he said, standing up. He glanced over at his horse. "We need to leave." He glanced back down at Eirika's body. "I'm sorry," he said, running off towards his horse. He easily climbed up, and turned away from the mess that was the temple. "We'll head towards Rautsen," he called towards Cormag, who nodded, pulling Knoll onto his wyvern. Seth watched them leave, before casting another glanced back at the temple. He could just see Ephraim and Eirika from where he was, and he fought the urge to return to them.

 For the second time in this war, Seth ran away.


End file.
